Digital
by Aerlyn
Summary: When it's difficult to tell the digital from the real within the walls of Mugenjou...what happens when computer programming goes wrong?


  
**DIGITAL**  
INTRODUCTION - INSTALLATION  
by Aerlyn  
  
  
"Makubex, you haven't been eating lately."  
  
Silence. The woman paused to consider the boy before her, busy with a computer interface. He didn't answer; only the tensing of his shoulders showed the slight break in his concentration.  
  
"Makubex! I know you're working, but if you keep skipping all your meals…it's really not healthy. If—"  
  
"I'm sorry, Sakura," the boy smoothly interjected. With the final stroke of a key, the screen turned dark before him, displaying only a small status bar and the English word, 'LOADING'. Sliding his yellow visor to his forehead, and pausing a moment for his eyes to adjust, he continued, "…But I really think this new program is important. Once I get it fully installed, we shouldn't have to worry about this epidemic. I hardly think a few meals should come before all these people – you _know_ how many have already died."  
  
She flipped her hair over her shoulder, impatient. "And _you_ know if you fall ill, many of those people will be helpless. It's best for everyone if yo come get something to eat!"  
  
With a laugh, he stood and took her hand. "You worry too much about me."  
  
"No, I _care_ too much about you. I should just give your ramen to Emishi, and let you cook for yourself!"  
  
She smiled as his eyebrows shot up his forehead in disbelief. "_Yes_, I'm joking!" She replied to his unspoken question, "But only if you take better care of yourself. You're fourteen – I shouldn't have to watch over you _all_ the time!"  
  
"Well, in that case… You said something about ramen?"  
  
The doors hissed shut behind them, leaving the shadows with only the electronic status diodes for company.  
  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
  
It was raining. He usually enjoyed the rain, but tonight the weather was against him. The wet asphalt gleamed under the inconsistent streetlights, throwing twisting shadows in unlikely places. His feet slipped on damp bricks, and he scrambled for vague handholds in the wall. He _had_ to get to the other side. There'd been no door, at least none he'd noticed in his mad dash down the street; hopefully the dark man after him would find no other portal. A flash of long jacket, the tip of a hat, and the chase had been underway. No, not a chase; a _hunt_. He was sure the man in black had only been toying with him, enjoying his terror and pain. He _had_ to get to the other side of the wall.  
  
At least the disk the man had been after was safe. As soon as he realized he'd lost his way in the scramble, he had stashed the package in an obscure hole in the wall. If only...if only he could get over this damn wall, and survive the night, and get back to _retrieve_ the disk!  
  
Aha! His feet found purchase, and he heaved himself up and over the concrete. As soon as his shoes slammed to the ground, he took off, blindly running amid the unfamiliar buildings.  
  
He never even noticed the dark figure separate from the shadows until a finely gloved hand took hold of his collar.  
  
"My, my… All this exertion, and only for a simple disk?"  
  
He stared in horror at the apparition above him. The terrible being was faceless, shrouded in the shadow cast by the large-brimmed hat. The rain falling into his panicking eyes was abruptly cut off, as both hat and pursuer loomed close.  
  
"Of course," the man from his nightmares continued. "It is what the disk contains which is important. Very important to my employer, indeed. Now, if you please, you will hand it over."  
  
He shook his head, frantically struggling to get away from this dark man of destruction. A small frown appeared on the terror's face.  
"Very well."  
  
The screams echoed through the steep, soaked alleys. No one paid much attention; this was, after all, the street level of the Mugenjou's Lower Town. They knew the rain would wash the blood away by morning.  
  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
  
_> disk detected  
  
> disk drive not found  
  
> converting . . .  
  
> . . . . . . .  
  
> disk drive enabled  
  
> disk detected  
  
> do you wish to install disk program dtwm0589kl.exe? Y/N  
  
> loading . . . . . . .  
  
> installation successful  
  
> running program._   
  
  
  
  



End file.
